1. Field of the Invention
The spoke-mounted wheel safety light relates in general to safety illumination systems, particularly those associated with bicycle wheels.
2. Statement of the Problem
It is common for most bicycles to include head lights and tail lights for night riding safety, not only for illumination of the road, but also to improve visibility of the bicycle and rider to drivers of other vehicles sharing the roadway at night. However, since these lights are directed frontward and rearward, they do not necessarily improve visibility on the sides of the bicycle. To remedy this, a number of inventors have attempted to improve bicycle safety by providing lighting devices which make the sides of spinning wheels more visible. Typical of these approaches are as follows:
Passive reflectors, which rely on light produced by oncoming vehicles, are generally included as standard issue on most bicycle wheels. However, these devices are ineffective during twilight hours when other vehicles may not yet have their lights on. In addition, wheel-mounted reflectors only work when the bicycle directly crosses perpendicular to the line of travel of the oncoming vehicle's headlamps which, at close range, may be too late to avoid collision.
One of the earliest “active” illumination systems for bicycle wheels employed phosphorescent material attached to or woven through the spokes of bicycle wheels. Although this approach produces a dim glow at night, the phosphorescent material is ineffective during morning and evening twilight hours due to high ambient light level. In addition, the glow is not long lasting and such devices require frequent and inconvenient recharging by exposure to a strong light source.
Some bicycle wheel lighting systems employ chemilucent liquids contained in short cylindrical or long tubular containers as a light source affixed to the wheel with assorted clips and clamps. These systems are relatively bulky and the liquid itself is heavy. In addition, once the chemical reaction is initiated, the usable light output only lasts a few hours and the chemilucent material must be removed, discarded, and replenished after each use.
Other bicycle wheel illumination systems employ electrically powered arrays of light emitting diodes (LEDs) or electroluminescent wires attached to, wound around, or woven through the wheel spokes. However, even with complex dimming, pulsing, or other energy conserving circuitry, these systems require relatively large batteries that require frequent replacement. The additional weight and complexity of these systems makes them cumbersome, expensive, and difficult to install and removal; and they deteriorate the aerodynamic performance of the wheels on which they are mounted.
Another more recent wheel illumination system employs a small LED and battery which are screw-mounted on the threaded stem of the bicycle tire air valve. The attachment method is novel; however, the device needs to be removed frequently and reinstalled for routine maintenance of tire air pressure. Furthermore, the small size of the LED and enclosure provides minimal illumination of the wheel.
None of these or other systems provide for bright, long-lasting, and inexpensive illumination of a moving bicycle wheel without adding weight or bulk which might unduly affect the aerodynamic performance and maintainability of the bicycle. What is needed is a bicycle wheel safety lighting system that couples the efficiency and economy of an LED with a means of distributing light which is integral to the device itself in order to provide an illumination system with minimal control circuitry, power consumption, volume, and weight in an aerodynamic form factor which does not require any tooling or special skills to install or maintain.